Spice Girls superstar Melanie C took Aberdeen on a journey through three decades of pop history as she appeared at the Music Hall last night
The singer, affectionately known to millions as Sporty Spice, was the latest big name to appear at the Ultimate Masterclass Festival (UMF), organised by Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce.
The event, deliver in partnership with Boskalis Subsea Services, saw Melanie C join Ryan Crighton on stage for an intimate conversation about her extraordinary career, from the formation of the world's biggest girl group to her success as a solo artist.
The Spice Girls became a global phenomenon following the release of their debut single Wannabe in 1996, going on to sell more than 100 million records worldwide and inspiring a generation with their message of Girl Power.
Thirty years on from that breakthrough, the audience was taken behind the scenes of one of the most remarkable success stories in British music.
The conversation explored Melanie's childhood in Merseyside, her decision to leave home at 16 to pursue a career in performing arts and the extraordinary series of events that brought five young women together to form the Spice Girls.
It also revisited the group's early struggles, their decision to break away from their original management and the phenomenal success that followed, including chart-topping singles, sold-out stadium tours and the 1997 Brit Awards performance that became one of the defining moments of the decade.
The evening also explored the pressures of global fame, Geri Halliwell's dramatic departure from the group and Melanie's subsequent solo career, which produced hits including Never Be the Same Again and I Turn to You.
More recently, Melanie has reinvented herself as a DJ and embraced a new direction in dance music, while continuing to celebrate the legacy of the group that made her a household name.
The event formed part of the Chamber's continuing programme to attract high-profile speakers and entertainers to Aberdeen city centre, supporting the evening economy and bringing new audiences into the city's venues, hotels, restaurants and bars.
The Melanie C event was supported by Nexos Group, Onboard Tracker, BoConcept Scotland, The Chester Hotel and Luxe Scot, with SAMH as charity partner.
The UMF programme has already welcomed a host of famous faces to the north-east, with further events planned in the coming months.
Next up is broadcaster, former Cabinet minister and railway enthusiast Michael Portillo, who will appear at a special UMF business breakfast in November.
He will be followed in January 2027 by Ross Kemp, the award-winning actor, documentary maker and former EastEnders star, who will share stories from his extraordinary career on screen and his experiences reporting from some of the world's most dangerous places.
Further information and tickets for upcoming events are available here.